Sember (Forestfolk, Book 2)

Chapter 12b

When morning finally arrived, I was reluctant to get up. My muscles didn't want to move, so I dozed off again. It was Goben who stirred first.

"Sember, we should get going," he said gently.

I groaned. Spending hours and hours trying to keep my brother warm in the middle of a raging blizzard had taken its toll. Even my bones felt tired.

"Come on, Squirrel. Before the next storm hits."

I sighed and pushed myself up. "I used to like winter."

We shook snow off the blankets and packed them away, then I dug into the last of my food. I was ready to chew my arm off I was so hungry. I had expended so much energy and slept so little. This village had better not be much farther, because our supplies were about to run out.

More walking. The powdery texture of the snow felt pleasant underfoot, but the cold affected me now. My face tingled, and the freezing air irritated my lungs. This worried me. I had never in my life actually felt cold.

Another half day passed, thankfully blizzard-free. The sky remained gray and ominous. My next worry was that we might be heading in the wrong direction. With no landmarks, and the trail buried under snow, it was easy to veer the wrong way. Dozan had said we would be getting close when we saw mountains. He actually had to describe mountains to me because I'd never seen them before. Their immensity sounded like nothing I'd ever encountered, or even imagined, but I still saw no sign of them.

Then, by late afternoon, I found them. They were hazy gray ghosts in the distance, rising up from the white landscape. They didn't look real, but there they were. Relief warmed my thoughts. Maybe we would reach the village today!

* * *

We didn't. We walked as far as the daylight would allow, but the mountains never seemed to come any closer. I began to wonder if maybe they were painted into the sky. Then I wondered if maybe I was the slightest bit delirious.

After another bitterly cold night of half-dozing, we resumed our trek in the morning. Goben and I split his last piece of dried meat, and I filled my still-grumbling stomach with water to quell its displeasure. We had better reach this place soon.

The mountains finally seemed to be getting bigger. Dozan had said that the village was nestled in the valley between two distinctive peaks. I scanned the jagged formations ahead of us, which I could now see were white with snow like everything else. Two neighboring peaks stood above the rest, while the gap between them dipped low. That had to be it.

Thankful to finally have a concrete landmark, we headed toward that valley with renewed vigor. We crunched through the snow, eyes fixed on our destination. We would reach it today. We had to.

During our midday break, I noticed the breeze getting stronger. My heart sank. I wasn't sure I had it in me to deal with another snowstorm. We barely made it through the last one. By late afternoon it was gusty and blew the loose powder up off the ground.

The swirling patterns of flurries, once so beautiful, now irked me. I hated snow. I hated this always-gray weather. I hated that Goben was always cold, and that I was the only thing standing between him and hypothermia. But what I hated most at this very moment was feeling weak. I've never felt weak. Yet here I was, feeling drained and wobbly. The only thing keeping me going was the sheer determination to just get there.

The darker it got, the windier it became. The mountains were looming behemoths now. I thought I could make out wisps of smoke rising from the valley, but I might have imagined it. Snow blew everywhere. It was in my hair, my eyes, my ears, down my shirt. Goben had both cloaks pulled tightly around him, and I found myself shivering just a little. I imagined yanking one of the cloaks away and donning it myself.

No. I would keep myself warm. What good was a Gifted fire user if I couldn't even do that?

I am fiery and strong. I am made of heat. I repeated this to myself as we marched single-mindedly toward the valley.

Daylight was nearly gone and we weren't there yet. To my dismay, it was getting harder to see past all the snow blowing in our faces. Goben pointed at something. I stared hard, and was barely able to make out the shape of a structure. My hope surged.

And so did the wind. It became a battle—us versus the elements. The elements were a tough opponent, pushing and freezing us. My legs wobbled, and Goben pulled me close to him. We slogged forward as one. I felt his strength and determination propelling us. We would get there. Even though my own strength was failing me, we would get there.

I had always thought my energy to be boundless. Not once had I ever come close to depleting it. Not once. Not even with all the running, practicing, and burning. I didn't even think it was possible. But today, in this growing blizzard, I felt it. My energy waned to a tiny burble. All I had was a little bit of heat left, and a whole lot of resolve.

We plodded, one step after another, barely able to see. When the thickness of night settled in, I began to panic. We wouldn't survive the night out here. Not in another storm. I strained to see into the darkness, through the flying slush.

Then I saw it, a flicker of torchlight. We were nearly there. Just a little farther.

I am fiery and strong. I am made of heat.

My feet stumbled, and I nearly toppled us both.

I am fiery and strong. I am made of heat.

And then, finally, at long last, we stood in front of a wooden door.

OMG FINALLY. Someone hand those two some chicken soup! And a vote. :)